Editorial: Fractured parties can serve purpose

Published: Thursday, July 31, 2014 at 09:05 PM.

Democrats and Republicans appear to be encountering the widest intra-party gaps in recent memory.

Just this weekend noted Democrat and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein criticized President Obama for continuing his fundraising schedule instead of addressing escalating national and international issues such as immigration, the uprising in Libya, the Russian-Ukraine crisis and fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Typically loyal to the Obama administration, she made the comments even while the president was visiting her own state.

Divisions within the Republican Party have become more pronounced since the 2010 election — especially with the rise of the tea party.

Ben Carson is the latest to emerge as a possible presidential candidate for the 2016 election. A groundswell movement is under way, especially in the form of petitions, to place him in the arena. The retired neurosurgeon and Washington Times columnist who has made frequent appearances on Fox News’ political talk shows was thought to be a card-carrying conservative, but when pressed for his allegiance he wouldn’t declare a political party.

Likewise, Carson, who is black, wouldn’t declare his candidacy but hinted on a Facebook response that could likely be in his future. He said he had been looking forward to playing golf and learning new languages “but it appears God has different plans for me.”

The retired doctor is smart enough to know he will not generate enough support to be elected on an independent or libertarian ticket. If he is serious about the candidacy, he must commit to one of the two major parties, and most likely he will run as a Republican. It’s interesting that at this juncture he wanted to distance himself from either political group.

Democrats and Republicans appear to be encountering the widest intra-party gaps in recent memory.

Just this weekend noted Democrat and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein criticized President Obama for continuing his fundraising schedule instead of addressing escalating national and international issues such as immigration, the uprising in Libya, the Russian-Ukraine crisis and fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Typically loyal to the Obama administration, she made the comments even while the president was visiting her own state.

Divisions within the Republican Party have become more pronounced since the 2010 election — especially with the rise of the tea party.

Ben Carson is the latest to emerge as a possible presidential candidate for the 2016 election. A groundswell movement is under way, especially in the form of petitions, to place him in the arena. The retired neurosurgeon and Washington Times columnist who has made frequent appearances on Fox News’ political talk shows was thought to be a card-carrying conservative, but when pressed for his allegiance he wouldn’t declare a political party.

Likewise, Carson, who is black, wouldn’t declare his candidacy but hinted on a Facebook response that could likely be in his future. He said he had been looking forward to playing golf and learning new languages “but it appears God has different plans for me.”

The retired doctor is smart enough to know he will not generate enough support to be elected on an independent or libertarian ticket. If he is serious about the candidacy, he must commit to one of the two major parties, and most likely he will run as a Republican. It’s interesting that at this juncture he wanted to distance himself from either political group.

According to a recent Gallup poll, the most important political issue is immigration. A resolution to the issue remains in limbo. President Obama has been denied the amount of funds he has requested to help solve the problem. Some leaders in his party — as well in the Republican Party — disagree on the president’s approach to the issue.

It’s not surprising that the survey indicated a partisan divide on the importance of the issue, with 23 percent of Republicans, but only 11 percent of Democrats, saying that immigration is the most pressing issue facing the nation right now.

Rounding out the top five most important issues in the poll were: dissatisfaction with the government, the economy, jobs and health care.

The good news is that there appears to be more ideas being shared about how to solve our many challenges.

A version of this editorial first appeared in The Dispatch in Lexington, N.C., a Halifax Media Group newspaper.